Albion 13
Chiefs 20

Team Mascot for the day Callum Murkin had predicted a 15 - 11 victory for Albion before the match and joined the players with Keni as they ran on. Callum plays for Albion Colts and was given this treat as part of his tenth birthday presents. 

With only a try each penalties awarded in easily kickable positions made all the difference in the score line and enabled Exeter to do the double and extend their unbeaten run and Albion to loose at Brickfields for the first time since 2005.

The loss puts the chances of winning the league as very remote and BetFred have lengthened the odds to 14/1 for 7/1.  Although it is not impossible for Albion to win the league it would involve some help from the lower clubs when the take on the clubs in front of us.

Albion hit with injuries were not able to field their strongest side of the season and did not have any better luck on the pitch with balls not always bouncing right or making touch and some slipping out of hand.

With three late penalties awarded against Albion in kickable positions Exeter took the match almost out of the reach of Albion. Even deep into injury time Albion were trying to salvage a draw but with no luck and had to settle with a single bonus point.

Exeter started the match as they meant to go on and spent the first 10 minutes in the Albion half and most of that in the 22 before passing the ball wide and scoring in the corner.

Albion did not make much progress into the Exeter half until the 20th minute when Nic Sestaret picked the ball up just in side his half making progress to the Chief's 10 metre before passing outside to Keni Fisilau who made it to the 22 brushing off Exeter's Ian Brown before being brought to the ground by Ben Breeze. Regardt van Eyk and Ed Lewsey made further progress but the play ended with a throw in 7 metres out.

Chris Lowrie and Federico Genoud were both held by Exeter at the next break down with what looked like a fist directed at Chris but no action was taken by the touch judge or the referee.

With Exeter making metres out of their half an attempt to kick the ball over the head of Nat Saumi failed. Nat made a counter attack and the ball was passed across to the right hand side of the pitch with the final pass not going to hand. Jon Fabian managed to pick the ball up and kick towards the touch line and the ball bounced into touch for an Exeter throw in.

Albion went further behind after James Owen was penalised just in side the 22 for not rolling away after Exeter highlighted the offence by stamping on James. (0-8)

Just 3 minutes later play was stopped when Nic Sestaret was stopped with a high tackle right in front of the post and Exeter players where signalling for the Albion trainer to come on to the pitch quickly. Regardt van Eyk then kicked the three points with his first attempt at the posts in the match.

A ten man push on the line in the left-hand corner was stopped and 2nd row Ian Brown was sin binned for pulling the maul down. From the restart a second penalty for the same offence. Albion did make it across the line on the third attempt with James Owen's hands on the ball. The final kick of the half Regardt takes Albion in the lead for the first time in the match.

Albion were a man up and two points in the lead and the worries of the first quarter seemed to be going away as Albion had easily won the second quarter.

Exeter did not leave it long to go back in the lead  and when given a chance 45 metres out and 3 minutes into the half they took the opportunity to run the sin bin clock down and kicked for 3 points and with little or no wind around the ball stayed true as it went high through the posts.

Albion retook the lead when they were given the chance 28 metres out in front of the posts and kicked by Regardt. (13-11)

Three penalties were awarded against Albion in the last quarter of the match all of them in front of the posts. On 23rd minute for going in from the side, on 35th minute Danny Thomas was sin binned for playing on the ground and 39th another penalty for playing on the ground. All opportunities were converted into 3 points to take the score to 13 - 20.

Albion did come back in an attempt to get the draw with a try but could not use the extra 7 minutes to get over the line.

Many of if not all of the Albion players were visibly upset with the result and at least one seemed close to tears.  This match meant a lot to the team and it will take a long time to get over it.  They may have to wait until next season before they can revenge this result unless we a drawn together in the EDF Energy National Trophy.

With Albion just picking up 1 point from the day they slip to 5th place in the league.

Team: Nat Saumi, Jon Fabian, Regardt van Eyk, Keni Fisilau, Nic Sestaret, Ed Barnes, Ed Lewsey, Martin Rice, James Owen, Scott Zimmerman, Dan Smith, Tom Hayes, Federico Genoud, Danny Thomas, Chris Lowrie Replacements: Mike Lewis, Sila Va'Enuku(used), David Delaney, Tim Mathias(used), Richard Oxley(used), Nigel Cane(used), Brett Stroud

Scorers :- Try James Owen  Penalties 2x Regardt van Eyk Conversion Regardt van Eyk

Sin Bin Danny Thomas

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